Prescott Park is located in Portsmouth, NH, on the banks of the Piscataqua River. The Park grounds have more than 10 acres of riverside lawns, gardens, and walkways, as well as three boardwalk piers, two public docking areas with space for up to 26 vessels, and an island with picnic tables, shelters and grills. Prescott Park is open to the public year-round and there is no fee to use the Park or its facilities. Prescott Park began with the generosity of two Portsmouth sisters, Mary E. and Josie F. Prescott. They inherited a fortune from their brother in 1932, and soon began to buy and clear properties along the Piscataqua River. The sisters wanted to create a free public park, accessible to all, replacing a decrepit industrial area.

The first garden area to be developed in Prescott Park, in the mid-1960s, were the formal gardens. Artists and photographers come here frequently for inspiration and can be seen at work along the brick paths that circle the three fountains, eight Japanese crabapple trees, and flower beds. Benches surround the area for viewing and relaxation. This is quite a popular spot for wedding photos, too. The UNH Thompson School donates about 400 flowering plants each year. The display is intended to show varieties and colors plants that are easily grown in the Seacoast area. The Prescott Trust continues to manage Prescott Park. For more information about the Park, call (603) 431-8748.

Prescott Park is located in Portsmouth, NH, on the banks of the Piscataqua River. The Park grounds have more than 10 acres of riverside lawns, gardens, and walkways, as well as three boardwalk piers, two public docking areas with space for up to 26 vessels, and an island with picnic tables, shelters and grills. Prescott Park is open to the public year-round and there is no fee to use the Park or its facilities. Prescott Park began with the generosity of two Portsmouth sisters, Mary E. and Josie F. Prescott. They inherited a fortune from their brother in 1932, and soon began to buy and clear properties along the Piscataqua River. The sisters wanted to create a free public park, accessible to all, replacing a decrepit industrial area.

The first garden area to be developed in Prescott Park, in the mid-1960s, were the formal gardens. Artists and photographers come here frequently for inspiration and can be seen at work along the brick paths that circle the three fountains, eight Japanese crabapple trees, and flower beds. Benches surround the area for viewing and relaxation. This is quite a popular spot for wedding photos, too. The UNH Thompson School donates about 400 flowering plants each year. The display is intended to show varieties and colors plants that are easily grown in the Seacoast area. The Prescott Trust continues to manage Prescott Park. For more information about the Park, call (603) 431-8748.

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